Back to the Gym and 3 Life Lessons

Back to the Gym and 3 Life Lessons


It’s been more than a year since I promised to do it, but I have finally started exercising again. Some people would say it’s too early to celebrate, as I’ve only been to the gym twice. Killjoys. That’s exactly the point of the post, though: if I tell everyone that I’m back to my healthy ways, fear of embarrassment will help me stay the course. I mean, if we are already built to be stupidly susceptible to peer pressure, I might at least use this mechanism for something reasonable.

As I know that many people struggle with exercise, I also wanted to share three things that I’ve learned through my own struggles. They might seem obvious, but not all obvious things turn out to be true, so I’m noting them down regardless.

1. Try (different) things. This is what women’s magazines always say and it really is just common sense. Obviously, you need to try at least something to find a physical activity you enjoy and it makes sense to try different things to find the one you like most. You might still be surprised by the results, though. I didn’t shop around much, but the lesson for me was that I never expected to take the traditional gym route. It seemed extremely boring, mindless and somehow sad, all those people inside, on machines, pretending to be rowing. What I didn’t consider is that I like to train alone, I like to push myself, I like to see fast progress and be able to measure it. So against all odds, it turned out that I actually enjoy going to the gym. Seriously did not see that coming.

2. Consider a personal trainer. I know, this is not an option for everyone and it’s of course not necessary. However, if you struggle with discipline and are not a person who likes to train in a group or with a friend, this might be worth the investment. I am 100% sure that I would not have stuck with my regime last time I regularly went to the gym and I wouldn’t now, without a trainer. I like to work with someone who is knowledgeable and experienced, knows when to push me and when to praise. If it’s just me, there’s always a perfectly reasonable excuse to cancel the session, but I’ve almost never done it with a PT.

3. Treat yourself. People are often very dismissive about using nice gym clothes or memberships in fancy sports clubs as motivation, but I say: whatever works. Sure, it would be much better if we just moved without any consumerist incentives, but exercise with dubious motivations is still much better than no exercise. I have had less help from the Pretty Gym Clothes department than you might think, but I do enjoy going to a nice club with nice facilities and a limited number of people. I also love getting a stylish flat white from the cafe across the street after my gym session, so this is what I do, even if it’s ridiculously overpriced. If it takes buying a pair of Lululemon leggings to get you to exercise, I say it’s a small price to pay.

In case nothing else works and you just cannot stick with anything, try finding a job far enough from your home that walking there would count as exercise and close enough that taking a car or public transport would be ridiculous. This is exactly where I’m at right now and already after three weeks, I feel my stamina has significantly improved.

6 Comments

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  1. 1
    kanuka

    Good luck with your exercise regime! I am so lucky to live in a small city and close to nature. My exercise is 90 minutes hill walking with two dogs each morning. I follow tracks through native bush and forest and rarely see anyone. It’s almost like a form of meditation and I get to follow the seasons, and learn so much just by being aware of my surroundings. Now it is autumn I have the most beautiful sunrise walks listening to bird calls. Hope your job is going really well. I often think of you over in Europe.

    • 2
      Ykkinna

      This sounds like a pretty ideal solution. After a childhood spent deep in the countryside and summers full of farm work I thought for years that I will never want to hike or garden or have anything to do with nature, really. But I have mellowed and will probably come full circle at some point. For now, I enjoy my walk to work – I’m a fast walker and there is something life-affirming about moving briskly, even if it’s in the middle of a city. Plus there are magnolias at the moment.

  2. 5
    SophieC

    Well done for finding something that works for you. I would add to your suggestions accept that you change and what works for you at one point may not at another point – both physically and emotionally.
    I used to exercise really hard and seriously and then suddenly I stopped – I had certainly come to a point where it was no longer right for me, and I had had enough of people pushing me (before then I found PTs useful although I would never want my bodyfat measured again I don’t think). Now Kanuka’s solution sounds utterly perfect to me, but I try to walk as much as possible in London and through parks and squares which are lovely at the moment. Exercise is such a lovely thing when it works – glad you are enjoying it!

    • 6
      Ykkinna

      I can certainly relate to what you say about changes and I don’t even really regret the years when I wasn’t active at all – especially in my 20s. I was just in a completely different place then. My post also had a very narrow focus inspired my own current situation. If there’s a broader point, it’s about keeping an open mind and not ruling anything out just because, as you might surprise yourself. We also sometimes lie to ourselves about our motivation, for example saying that it isn’t about one’s appearance, while it actually is, at least partly (I have done this). And the other thing that I address only briefly is the structural part, understanding how excercise/physical activity fits into your life. I am very, very far from thinking that everyone should go to the gym and Kanuka proves that point perfectly. But even if you love it, in case you have to keep cancelling it last minute because of work, you need to rethink things. PS I cannot imagine much bodyfat showing up on screen when you’re being measured…

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